Tractor operated log and tree saw



June 1947- A. F. PFINGSTEN 2,423,047

TRACTOR OPERATED LOG AND TREE SAW Filed June 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 l l m hm wmwmwm 2.5 7,1 7. 7.9 I8 24 .L I )2? I130 l9 22 3 INVENTOR. H2 321 4 34 K 42 fi wrflPm sm BY Patented June 24, 1947 TRACTOR OPE-RATED LOG A-ND.!TREE S AW August F. Bfingsten, Rook Rapids, vIowa. Application June18, 1945;"Seria1No; 600,026 1 Claim. (01. r se-19 Myinvention relates to a-log-andtree saw.

An object. of my-invention isto provides, sawwhich can be operated froma tractor power takeolf'shaft.

A further obj'ect'of'my; invention is to provide a saw which -1I101lld8s all of the. advantages of a practically anydesired position.

'A further obj-ectof nay-invention is to provide a tractor operated saw which will be driven during any angular movement thereof.

A furtherobjectof my: invention is to provide an arrangement which is easily controlled by the operator, and'can be adapted to various log diameters.

A further-object of my invention is to provide asaw-of' thischaracter which can be readily adapted forsawingdowntrees bymerely adding a simple attachme t thereto 1 A further object of my invention is to provide a saw of this nature which is. simple in construction and which can be manufactured at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, my'invention consists, in the construction arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objectscontemplated'are.-

Figure is an elevation showing the saw when used for the tree cutting operation, and

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.

I have used the character In to designate a tractor draw-bar, the character II the tractor rear housing, and the character l2 the rear tractor power take-off shaft. Firmly attached to means of the ct I3 is a universal joint [5 to which is attached at l6, shaft [1 in which is received a solid square male shaft I8. The shaft I8 is attached at l9 to a universal joint (see Figure 3) and the joint 20 is adapted to drive the shaft 2| which is suitably journaled at 22 within the hollow casing 23. A protecting hous- 2 ing 24 whichi .a, continuation of the: casingt23, encloses-thejioint 20 Attachedzatthecendof theshaft Zl-isaavertical bevel gear. 25 which. meshes with a. horizontal bevel gear 26 toowhichiis attached-a: shaft .21 which isjournaled at-x28-within the top l29wofithe casing- 23;: Attached-: to the gear: .26; is. a :square member. afl which is engaged within a: square portion 3l1of a socket.3.2:.which is'attached'to the upper portion: 33. of a..clutchs member having the lowerportion 3t, .theportionsdieand' 345'including the serrated, snugly engaged portions. ,Attached tothe lawer. olutchiportioniad iis atshaftc 3fiilwhich isattacheduatfll: to a substantially large pulley. 38--. which includes: asrubb'er:orotherfacing 39: aboutawhich facingzisr snuglyengagedi: a continuous bandfsawlahaving-atheeteeth. ll. Em

closing the pulley 38% is-La casingxflce havingea small .projecti'on..=at. A3and havingaan- :openin'g. tat. 44 through whiclr' opening the .bandisaw passes The. lid i29grisxattached at 453 to a transverse strap. 4ft. which 2 is. attached at 4 to a. pair of spaced arched membersAd. Thermembers. 48: terminate: in. the: end p0rtior1-s1.-49 Which rextend into thetransversemembers. 50 A furtherbrace 5 1 which is. attached at 452? to the membersedit, is attached at-i53:(see1 Figureze); to a furtherhousing 54inwhich is. receivedilas collar 55:. to which. is; attached; a shaft. SfiLwhich shaft. is attachedat; 5.1" toca ..further.-pu'lley. 58 having :thetrubber. or otherz facing .5 9;, the continuous :bandsawA lhalso passing about 1this;..p.ulley.- A :further'housing; G0.

which; includes theepulley 58. atv E3r ztolthe .arched.members..48:

It. i will? benoted fromtFi'gure 2. that. the members 4.8% are-.spacedtapartfa sufiicienlndistance. so that they; extendrxslightly; beyond: the: traveling, band 4.0:at eitherside;

Attached to the lower left hand COIIIBPSLQITEZUHQ frame-work at 64 are a pair of eye-bolts 65.

For sawing fallen logs, the arrangement is used in the following manner, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The left hand side of the framework, or the side bearing the gears, etc., is rested upon the ground, and the tractor engine is started. The framework is supported by means of the handles 62 and at an angle above the log with provision being made for one side of the band 40 to clear the end 66 of the log (see Figure 2). The spacing between the bands is made sufficient to allow for the greatest length of log section, so that shorter lengths can be out if desired. The arrangement is then pivoted downwardly in the direction of the arrow 67 until the log is cut the.- .small. iprog ections :61? encloses.

A: pair of handles. 62:: are attached completely through and when the arrangement is then in the horizontal position. The curved frames 48 permit the arrangement to accommodate maximum log diameters.

It will be noted that the drive is applied to the shafts I1 and I8 and thence through the bevel gears 25 and 26 to the pulley 38. The clutch surfaces at 35 permit the upper clutch portion 33 to side freely when the band saw sticks due to the pressure against the compression spring 68 which allows the socket 32 to rise. The slight projections 43 and BI retain the band saw against slipping out of the casing as well as the openings 44. It will also be noted that the Saw can be positioned at any point away from the tractor, can be moved side-ways, or downward without affecting the operation while the power is applied due to the slidable movement permitted between the shafts l1 and I8 and due to the universal joints l5 and 20.

If desired, the log, which is indicated by the character 69, can be set up on blocks to insure that the band saw will saw completely through the lower edge, although normally the bark on the log may not necessitate the same.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate how the arrangement is used for sawing down trees in which ligures the tree is indicated by the character 10. In this arrangement a special bracket 1| is bolted at 12 to the tractor draw bar 10, and the bracket II includes the horizontal portion 13 which includes the square socket 14 therein in which is received the rod 15, the lock nuts 16 serving to lock the log 15 in any selected position, thereby allowing longitudinal movement of the rod 15. The bolt 12 permits angular movement of the bracket so that the position of the saw can be adjusted to meet any requirements. The rod 15 includes a shoulder at 11 to which is attached the vertically extending circular rod I8.

In use the eye bolts 65 are slipped over the vertical rod 18 which turns the saw arrangement on its side as shown in Figure 5; and the rod 18 thereby provides a pivoting point for the entire frame, so that the frame can then be swung in the direction of the arrow 19 (see Figure 6) with the band 40 then cutting through the tree. In this instance, both bands .will necessarily cut through the vertical tree, the linear speed thereof permitting a smooth cutting action. Attached I to the bracket portion 13 at 80 is a vertical brace 8| which rests upon the ground to steady the entire arrangement. It will be noted that the power is still applied in the same manner as described heretofore in this latter use. arrangement can be employed, one end of which would be attached to the take-oil shaft l2, and the other end to the small shaft 2!, although the above described arrangement may be the preferred form.

A flexible shaft It will now be seen that I have provided a log and tree saw including all of the advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention with further advantages being readily apparent.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

A tractor operated saw comprising an arcuate frame-work for receiving a log therein, said frame-work including a pair of rotatable pulleys journaled one at each end thereof, a band saw engaged with said pulleys, means for driving one of said pulleys from a tractor power take-off shaft, including a drive shaft connected to said power take-off shaft, said drive shaft including mutually attached sections permitting longitudinal movement of the drive shaft, said drive shaft including universal joints at the terminals thereof for permitting desired pivotal movement of the saw, a casing positioned above one of said pulleys, a bevel gear attached at a terminal of said drive shaft, a further beveled gear meshing with said bevel gear, one of said band saw pulleys being driven by said further bevel gear, a clutch member interposed between said further bevel gear and said pulley, said frame including a part of arcuate supports, handles attached to said supports for guiding said saw, means for cutting trees with said saw including a bracket member attached to the tractor draw bar, an extensible vertical rod attached to said bracket, a pair of eye-bolts attached to the saw frame for receiving said vertical rod, whereby said saw will be positioned on its side to cut through a vertical tree.

AUGUST F. PFINGSTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Nov. 21, 1932 

